Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: November 19, 2023
By: Laura Deni
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MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG HAS AN EXQUISITE CAST RECORDING

Merrily We Roll Along is a 1981 American musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

The show tells the story of how three friends' lives and friendship change over the course of 20 years; it focuses particularly on Franklin Shepard, a talented composer of musicals who, over those 20 years, abandons his friends and songwriting career to become a producer of Hollywood movies. Like the play on which it is based, the show's story moves in reverse chronology, beginning in 1976 at the friends' lowest moment and ending in 1957, at their youthful best.

Merrily premiered on Broadway on November 16, 1981, in a production directed by frequent Sondheim collaborator Hal Prince, with a cast almost exclusively of teenagers and young adults. However, the show was not the success the previous Sondheim–Prince collaborations had been: after a chaotic series of preview performances, it opened to widely negative reviews, and closed after 16 performances and 44 previews.

In the years since, the show has been extensively rewritten and has enjoyed several notable productions, including an off-Broadway revival in 1994, and a London premiere in 2000 that won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.

The show had its first Broadway revival in fall 2023, starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez, and directed by Maria Friedman, transferred from the 2022 Off-Broadway production staged at New York Theatre Workshop. A film adaptation starring Paul Mescal, Beanie Feldstein, and Ben Platt is in development.

The official description: "Sondheim's score was a mix of the traditional and the unconventional. In basic form and sound, the songs were written in the style of traditional Broadway show music of the 1950's (where Merrily's story "began") and earlier, a clear departure from the musical complexity of his previous work. But the score was also written to embody the show's backward structure in its use and repetition of certain sections of music.

"For example, "Not a Day Goes By" is first heard in its "reprise", sung bitterly by Frank after his divorce from Beth, before being heard in its "original" form late in the second act, sung by Frank (as he gets married) and Mary (longingly watching Frank get married). Additionally, "Good Thing Going" is gradually deconstructed throughout the musical before reaching its final—but "initial"—form near the end of the show, as "Who Wants to Live in New York?" This technique was at times used, Sondheim said, to show how "the songs that had been important in the lives of the characters when they were younger would have different resonances as they aged"; he also used some of these musical repetitions to represent "undercurrents of memory" in the characters in their later years. Because of the strictures Sondheim applied to his writing, Merrily's score was one of the most difficult of his career to write."

In the beginning the musical was also one of the most difficult for the audience to understand. The audience became confused or bored because understanding the plot line took some work and at least some knowledge of how the entertainment industry works.

Throughout the years, with Furth's and Sondheim's permission, the musical has been staged with numerous changes. Sondheim contributed new songs to several of the show's incarnations, most notably Growing Up, added to the La Jolla 1985 production. The substantial re-writes made the understanding and appreciation considerably easier.

The original Broadway cast recorded the show the day after their final performance. The recording was released by RCA as an LP album in April 1982, then compact disc in 1986. A 2007 remastered CD release from Sony/BMG Broadway Masterworks includes a bonus track of Sondheim performing "It's a Hit". See Broadway To Vegas column of April 1, 2007.

Now comes the original cast recording of the current Broadway revival hit, which can be enjoyed at the Hudson Theatre.

This review is of that recording.

Featured on the album are Daniel Radcliffe as Charley Kringas, Jonathan Groff as Franklin Shepard, Lindsay Mendez as Mary Flynn, Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie Carnegie, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth Shepard, and Reg Rogers as Joe Josephson. Max Rackenberg and Brady Wagner are sharing the role of Frank Jr.

This album establishes their ability to sing.

This is the musical that gave the world the songs Not a Day Goes By and Old Friends.

A stunning, over the top overture, spotlighting several instruments, can't help but energize and leave you wanting more. That feeling is granted with the next number the theme Merrily We Roll Along, where "everyone is merrily catching their dream." And, the sage advise "never look back."

The exquisite sound balancing deserves never ending plaudits.

The energetic That Frank explains a high ranking movie executive who drinks and has a gorgeous wife. He's captured the American dream.

The plaintiff Old Friends - Like It Was recalls the relaxed feelings of such a relationship -and wanting it to be - like it was. When they were "nicer then." How the entertainment "business" changes you and longing for the days when they were "nicer;"- or perhaps memories distort what never was. The bouncing reprise is a memorable toe tapper.

Sondheim's lyrics are seriously important which steers the story line.

Despite some songs using inside terms, this has now become an easily understood musical journey on becoming successful and those - memories and regrets.

Growing Up which begins with a piano addresses " taking charge" and "reshaping dreams." And, why it is that old friends don't want old friends to change.

Now You Know explains that "life is crummy."

Act II's Gussie Opening Number is sultry then explodes with It's a Hit.

And, this verson of Merrily We Roll Along is.

Glorious orchestrations which emphasis how instruments can support each other, harmonizing into exquisite presentations.

All performed by top of the line musicians. One of the rare recordings which could be played all day and not get bored.

The new Broadway cast recording is produced by David Caddick, David Lai, Joel Fram, and Maria Friedman. The album was recorded and mixed by Ian Kagey at Berklee at PowerStationNYC and Renaissance Recording NY. Included are new liner notes from Director and Album Producer Maria Friedman as well as former New York Times Chief Theater Critic, Ben Brantley.

the digital cast recording was released on Wednesday, November 15 with the CD set to drop on January 12, 2024. If you have never experienced Merrily We Roll Along you're in for a treat. If you haven't listened to this in awhile then listen again to an "old friend."

TRACKLIST:
1. Overture
2. Merrily We Roll Along
3. That Frank
4. First Transition
5. Old Friends -- Like It Was
6. Franklin Shepard, Inc.
7. Second Transition
8. Old Friends
9. Growing Up
10. Third Transition
11. Not a Day Goes By (Intro)
12. Not a Day Goes By
13. Now You Know
14. Gussie's Opening Number
15. It's a Hit!
16. Fourth Transition
17. The Blob - Part I
18. Growing Up (Reprise)
19. Good Thing Going
20. The Blob - Part II
21. Fifth Transition
22. Bobby and Jackie and Jack
23. Not a Day Goes By (Reprise)
24. Sixth Transition
25. Opening Doors
26. Seventh Transition
27. Our Time

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This is not your typical, totally boring textbook.

In the pages of How To Earn A Living As A Freelance Writer (the first to be lied to and the last to be paid) you'll find sex, celebrities, violence, threats, unethical editors, scummy managers and lawyers, treacherous press agents, sex discrimination; as well as a how-to for earning money by writing down words.

ART AND ABOUT

MARVELOUS MOUSTACHES AND BRILLIANT BEARDS from the collection at the London Museum.

19th Mademoisselle Lefort became so famous for her 'beard, mustachios and whiskers' that she toured London in 1818, charging 2 shillings and 6 pence to curious visitors.

Mademoisselle Lefort was praised for her 'contrasting beauties' combining 'perfect feminine beauty with 'masculine accompaniments'’. Photo: London Museum

Is your upper lip looking less than fan-tache-tic? Are your whiskers whispy? Your sideburns a burden? Your goatee gone wild? Seeking ideas for your "Movember" look? Well look no further. Here's information about some remarkable beards and moustaches from the London Collection to inspire your facial hairstyles this holiday season.

Londoners — both men, and women! — have sported a wide range of moustache and beard styles over the last two thousand years. Taking influences from visitors and immigrants from around the world, the capital city was frequently at the cutting edge of pogonotrophy (the growing and grooming of facial hair).

Trends were often set by famous Londoners, such as King Charles I, whose goatee and upturned moustache were copied by courtiers and immortalized by the Principal Painter to the king, Anthony van Dyck, who gave his name to the style. The 'van Dyke' was politicized during the English Civil War through its association with the Royalist Cause, while Parliamentarians became known as 'roundheads' because of their closely cropped hair and beards.

Charles Dickens can be credited with starting the Victorian trend for huge beards, not only because he sported such a fine example himself, but also for publishing Henry Morley's essay Why Shave? in his popular magazine Household Words in 1853. The fashion was cemented when heavily bearded soldiers returned from the Crimean War in 1856, starting a craze that continued until the 1880s.

South Londoner Charlie Chaplin became synonymous with the toothbrush moustache which he wore from the 1910s; although it fell out of fashion in the late 1930s owing to its association with Adolf Hitler. Beards and moustaches had a renaissance in the late 1960s. The Beatles — now London-based — grew Edwardian-style moustaches for the Sargent Pepper album cover, and even included cardboard cut-out moustaches as an insert. While facial hair fell out of fashion during the 1980s and 1990s, it made a comeback with the hipsters of the 2010s, who made Hackney their spiritual home.

Nowadays anything goes.

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SWEET CHARITY

FARM AID BY THE NUMBERS Farm Aid 2023 has released some numbers to emphasize the success of their recent event.

35 HomeGrown Village exhibits including: The Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar by National Farmers Union; Farms Reflect our Farmers: Underheard Voices and Imagining the Future of Farming in Indiana by Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition; Connecting the Drops: The Ripple Effects of Water Grabs on our Food System by National Family Farm Coalition; and many more!

454 Volunteers made the day run smoothly, setting up, breaking down, chopping vegetables, helping festivalgoers make compost, and generally putting smiles on everyone’s faces!

51 Menu items in HomeGrown Concessions served throughout the venue. The ingredients for everything served at Farm Aid 2023 were grown with sustainable practices, on family farms, and with a fair price paid to the farmers.

23 Videos shared at our press event that kicked off Farm Aid 2023, with 7 farmers joining Willie, John, Neil, and Dave on stage to talk about agriculture, climate, soil and water and corporate power.

22,209 Tickets sold for Farm Aid 2023.

275 Farmers, advocates and representatives from organizations that support farmers who attended our Friday Farmer Forum, which featured our first ever Farm Aid People's Hearing on the Farm Bill.

60 People who attended Indiana farm tours featuring 4 farms and 7 farmers who shared their stories of farming in the Midwest.

560,000 People passed by our Farm Aid 2023 exhibit at the Indianapolis International Airport!

60 Cubic yards of materials were composted over the course of our festival, which equals approximately 2.9 tons of compost!

14,798 Pounds of food were donated to Second Helpings, an organization that rescues good food to prepare nutritious meals for hungry children and adults in Greater Indianapolis.

THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY on November 15, 2023, celebrated its 2023 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Gala honoring Laura Pausini, with moving renditions of some of Pausini’s renowned repertoire, featuring past and current Latin Grammy nominees including Alejandro Sanz, Ana Mena, Andrea Bocelli, Ángela Aguilar, Anitta, Antonio Orozco, Arturo Sandoval, Bebe, Beret, Carin León, Carlos Vives, Christian Nodal, David Bisbal, Danny Ocean, Elena Rose, Fonseca, India Martínez, Luis Fonsi, Malú, Mon Laferte, Niña Pastori, Ovy On The Drums, Pablo Alborán, Pablo López, Pepe Aguilar, Reik, Silvestre Dangond, Tiago Iorc, and Vanesa Martín.

Latin Grammy and Grammy winner Laura Pausini was honored for her career as a multifaceted, multi-lingual performer as well as for her continued commitment to supporting social justice causes that are close to her heart including equality for women and LGBTQ+ people and world hunger.

The star-studded gala and tribute concert, held at the Conference and Exhibition Centre (FIBES) in Sevilla (Andalucía), Spain, featured 13 musical performances with an international group of artists across a variety of genres. The ceremony represented the many countries that Pausini’s music has influenced and showcased the versatility of her lyrics. Net proceeds from the 2023 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Gala will go toward the charitable work of the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation, whose mission is to further international awareness and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world's culture. The Foundation provides college scholarships, educational programs and grants for the research and preservation of its rich musical legacy and heritage, and to date has donated more than $9.3 million with the support of Latin Recording Academy members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors.

SPREADING THE WORD

FRIENDS TV SERIES INSPIRES A COFFEE SHOP

Central Perk Coffee inspired by Friends. Photos Courtesy of Brian Nevins

Friends cast enjoying coffee. Photo: Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment with CenPer Holdings, LLC, has announced that the world’s first Central Perk Coffeehouse has opened its doors in Boston, MA. Nestled within a historic brownstone on Newbury Street, Central Perk Coffeehouse is a reimagined adaptation of the iconic coffeehouse made famous by the TV series Friends.

Designed by award-winning architecture and interior design firm Glen & Company, the inaugural Central Perk Coffeehouse "blends nostalgia with contemporary flair, featuring a modernized version of the iconic orange couch as the centerpiece in the space for friends to gather. Other highlights include a bespoke piece by artist Burton Morris and the Orange Room, a semi-private, reservable area that features a replica orange couch, with a neon sign above that reads "The One With…" Here, all guests are welcome to create their own moments and write their next episodes with their friends."

"Our mission was to reimagine Central Perk as it would look and serve as a gathering spot for friends today, not to recreate the actual set. The space conveys the 'Central Perk state-of-mind,' a place where people make memories - fall in love, commiserate, tell secrets and share laughter," said Glen Coben, Founder and Principal Designer, Glen & Company.

The menu boasts a wide variety of tasty coffee and food options, in a setting that is contemporary yet reminiscent, the soul of Central Perk remains intact, Guests can enjoy their beverages with assorted morning fare and choose from an all-day menu created by the Central Perk culinary team with advice from investor and James Beard award-winning chef Tom Colicchio. Aptly-named savory and sweet dishes include Joey’s Meatball Sandwich, The Moist Maker Turkey Sandwich, Grandma’s Chicken Salad, Mama’s Little Bakery Cheesecake, and more.

Apart from the menu offerings, guests will also discover subtle nods to the series and characters within the space, such as artwork and coffee cup sleeves featuring iconic quotes from each of the six Friends. On opening day, Central Perk Coffeehouse introduced and distributed the Chandler Bing "Can I Interest You in a Sarcastic Comment" sleeve exclusively for the entire day, in honor of the life and enduring legacy of Matthew Perry.

Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment (WBTE), part of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Brands, Franchises, and Experiences, is a worldwide leader in the creation, development, and licensing of location-based entertainment, live events, exhibits, and theme park experiences based on Warner Bros.’ iconic characters, stories, and brands.

IN THE KEY OF LIFE: THE GENIUS OF STEVIE WONDER presented by Darius de Haas, artistic director. A one-of-kind celebration of the towering songwriter and artist with 25 Grammy Awards and a litany of smash hits spanning R&B, pop, soul, gospel, and funk. Stevie Wonder is a music icon – one of the greatest and most prolific songwriters and artists of all time, with a songbook of hits including "For Once in My Life," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Isn’t She Lovely," "Superstition," "My Cherie Amour," and countless others.

December 2-December 4, 2023 at 92Y in New York City.

THE THEATER PROJECT'S IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE – THE RADIO PLAY celebrates its 20th year of annual presentations with live, in-person performances Thanksgiving weekend, November 25-26, at the Oakes Center Theater, in Summit, New Jersey.

The Theater Project recreates the Lux Radio Theater circa 1947 as twelve adult actors, four kids, a musician and one extremely overworked sound technician prepare for the big radio broadcast of the story made famous in the Frank Capra film. Audiences experience the tears and laughter of Wonderful Life performed live, along with the novelty of seeing the backstage mechanics of an old-time radio broadcast.

This year’s cast showcases the talented Matt McCarthy, Anna Sales, Scott Cagney, Andre DeSandies, Jim Clancy, Emily Bonaria, Will Budnikov, Gary Glor and Jeff Maschi.

INHERIT THE WIND starring Alfred Molina as Henry Drummond, John Douglas Thompson as Matthew Harrison Brady, and Chris Perfetti as E.K. Hornbeck has been extended through Sunday, December 2, 2023. The production by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, and directed by Michael Michetti, can be enjoyed at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.

THANKSGIVING GLUTTONY The average American consumes an astounding 6,300 food and beverage calories during Thanksgiving day. Belch.

You may be consuming as much as 1 1/2 sticks of heart clogging butter; 90-120 grams of fat, which would also have about 30 grams of saturated fat. Don't forget 75 grams of sugar.

One serving of pecan pie can have as many as 1,814 calories.

Other foods on the menu:
8 ounces of turkey – 480 calories
1 cup serving mashed potatoes and gravy – 257 calories
1 cup stuffing – 350 calories
1 cup cranberry sauce – 257 calories
1 slice pumpkin pie – 350 calories
6-ounce glass of wine –120 calories

That's just for one meal!

Enjoy.

VEGAS FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX: LOVE IN THE PADDOCK AND OTHER DANGEROUS MOVES

Formula One race in Las Vegas. Expensive cars trying to out run each other. Their engines could be heard four miles away.

Police trying to corral prostitutes who have traveled in from Phoenix and Los Angeles, as they do on all sporting events. "Gentlemen's" clubs did boffo bix. Crazy Horse 3, located steps away from Allegiant Stadium, hosted "The Afterparty with No Finish Line" during the Big Race Weekend with DJ Whoo Kid. The late night party on Friday, November 17, featured entertainer Danii Banks, a social media superstar boasting 8 million Instagram followers, and event host, Toochi Kash. The club reported they had "experienced a massive increase of 200% in entertainer auditions this week, as dancers from all over the country flew in for a chance to work the club during one of the city’s most anticipated events ever."

Vegas residents, tired of being placated that this major over the top event would be worth all the headaches and hassles, were anxious for the roads to get back to normal. The set up took six months and the race is coming back next year.

According to The Independent, nearly 2,000 private jets were expected to land at Vegas airports all containing precious cargo, known as the rich and famous.

Thursday evening featured team coverage reporters, from every corner of anywhere - on air - not having much to say. The anticipated crowd which "experts" thought would begin about 5 p.m. for the first practice session at 8 p.m. weren't materializing. Those trying to fill a dinner hour newscast remained composed but were repeating themselves and trying to find something to say about empty seats and no crowds. Some newsers were able to show the television crowd their "wonderful views". Ticket takers at their assigned turnstiles, stood at parade rest, their backs to the cameras. On air reporters mused that it was a Thursday and that foot traffic would pick up as the week worn on. Reporters who managed to corral a tourist for an interview frequently discovered that, in addition to watching racing, they liked to drink.

Giulia Marra and Jacques Villeneuve being married by an Elvis impersonator as best man Jock Clear looks on. Photo: F1 Las Vegas X/Twitter

Taking advantage of the event and celebrating with a bottle of champagne, were Giulia Marra and former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve who were married in the Las Vegas Grand Prix paddock's pop-up wedding chapel aptly named Race to the Altar. Former Williams' engineer, Jock Clear who is now a Ferrari man, served as Villeneuve’s best man. The bride was resplendent in a traditional white gown. The ceremony began with an intro of the F1 theme, followed by an Elvis impersonator singing Here Comes The Bride. The Elvis impersonator, who left his cape at home and wore an elegant suit with a racing motif inspired tie and pocket square, officiated at the traditional vow exchange.

The happy couple posed for photographs and guests were served cake and champagne.

Marra is Villeneuve's third wife, and the couple has a son and daughter together.

Spanning 10 years, Villeneuve made 163 starts, winning 11 races and the 1997 world championship. He remains involved as a television pundit. Villeneuve is the son of legendary Quebec driver Gilles Villeneuve, also raced NASCAR, stock car, and other forms of motor racing.

As three hours ticked by fans began to trickle in.

The beginning was show biz impressive. The expensive, glamorous vehicles sped along the Strip, beneath the neon lights on the internationally known Las Vegas Strip, zooming around high-end resorts, with the world-famous Bellagio fountains in the background. Eight minutes into the start there was a red flag when Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari SF-23, clocked at 199 mph, hit a loose drain cover which exploded. Apine’s Esteban Ocon also hit one. Sainz’s Ferrari sustained substantial damage to the floor, while Ocon returned to the pit lane where Alpine determined that a change of chassis was required. Ferrari also had to undertake a chassis change for Sainz.

The second practice session, due to begin at midnight local time, was delayed, until 2:30a.m. so the 30 drain covers along the Strip could be removed, holes filled with sand and then covered with asphalt.

Some fans attempted to wait around to witness the second practice session. However, shortly before 1:30 a.m. an announcement was made informing spectators that due to "logistical considerations" for both fans and staff all grandstands and fan areas would be closing imminently, owing to labor laws. That eviction notice included all areas including the ritzy Paddock Club, where tickets were sold for five figures. Fans who attempted to wait for the second practice session were told if they didn't leave they would be arrested for trespassing. That resulted in several fans wanting their money back.

Are those one day ticket holders going to get their money back? You must be kidding.

However, in a fit of generously for Thursday night ticket holders, the Las Vegas Grand Prix decided to compensate them for their experience by giving each single day pass holder a $200 voucher to the Las Vegas Grand Prix Official Shop. That is enough to purchase two ball caps.

A class action lawsuit has been filed by the Dimopoulos Law Firm and co-counsel JK Legal & Consulting in Nevada state court against formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix owners and race promoters Liberty Media Corporation, DBA Formula One Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix and TAB Contractors Inc as defendants on behalf of the 35,000 people who purchased tickets for Thursday's practice session and then were forced to leave after the practice was canceled.

Hours before the Friday practice session at 8 p.m. maintenance personnel were inspecting every inch of the Strip, making certain there would be no repeat of Thursday's debacle. The practice session began at 8:30p.m. A tire issues caused a red flag a few minutes before the ending. The qualifying round started at midnight.

Also on Friday was a deep pockets auction, hosted by James Corden who had arrived in Sin City a week before the race. The auction took place at Wynn’s Awakening Theatre with more than 60 million dollars worth of cars gaveled down in 39 lots. Oliver Barker served as auctioneer. Popular items include the first Mercedes Benz that seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton drove to victory in 2013. The car sold for 17.1 million dollars. Also a hot item - Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari race suit used during the 2003 Italian Grand Prix in which he qualified in pole position and won – before later winning the championship - sold for 85,000 dollars, with Corden egging on the bidding.

During his Vegas stay Corden announced that he had joined SiriusXM to host a weekly audio show, which will see him interview "some of the biggest guests on planet Earth".

Justin Bell’s Drive To Wynn podcast featured Jay Leno giving F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix updates.

Fortunately for everyone, the race lived up its its hype. 100,000 monied fans included celebrity A-listers Patrick Dempsey, Brad Pitt, Rihanna, James Marsden, Paris Hilton, Kylie Minogue, Shannon and Jared Leto, Simone Ashley, Gordon Ramsey with his daughter Holly.

Also making it a family affair was David Beckham with his son. Tiësto and John Legend performed together from the roof of the snooty Paddock Club, where top-tier tickets went for $40,000.

Enjoying the event were Tom Brady, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Bad Bunny, Rita Ora, Renée Zellweger, Daniel Craig, Heidi Klum, Lupita Nyong’o, Marshmello, Idris Elba, Davido, Breanna Stewart, Jackie Young, @CouRageJD, Lindsey Vonn, Sloane Stephens, Jozy Altidore, Shaun White, Terry Crews, Sergio Busquets.

Taking it all in were Rob McElhenney, footballer Jozy Altidore, Star Wars' John Boyega, singer/songwriter Chloe Stroll the sister of Aston Martin Formula One driver Lance Stroll, and the fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt. Donny Osmond sang the national anthem and, to nobody's surprise, nailed it. Colombian reggaetonero J Balvin closed the race.

Formula One returns to Las Vegas next year - training wheels removed.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

THE U.S GOVERNMENT paid $16 million for the film of JFK's assassination. The grainy film footage of JFK being shot by a high-caliber rifle while waving to a crowd from the open top of his car on November 22, 1963. That footage originally belonged to the Zapruder family, who recorded the shooting by accident while watching the Presidential motorcade. The US government ended up paying the Zapruder family $16 million in 1999 for "the official rights to."

CREATIVES REBUILD NEW YORK (CRNY) is a three-year, $125 million initiative that provides guaranteed income and employment opportunities to artists across New York State. CRNY believes that artists are workers who deserve equitable, sustainable support structures, and that improving the lives of artists is paramount to the vitality of New York State’s collective social and economic wellbeing. Fiscally sponsored by Tides Center, CRNY represents a $125 million funding commitment, anchored by $115 million from the Mellon Foundation and $5 million each from the Ford Foundation and Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

Executive Director Sarah Calderon issued a statement lauding the end of the strike and completed negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP.

"Our team at Creatives Rebuild New York has just wrapped up a statewide tour – hearing from artists, some of whom are SAG-AFTRA members, about the economic precarity they face and why living a life of dignity as a working artist is becoming more and more untenable. Participants in our Guaranteed Income for Artists and Artist Employment Programs spoke about how, with the rise of streaming services, residual payments for their work are shrinking. They also shared that they don’t have access to the benefits many 9-to-5 workers rely on – from access to affordable and consistent health care to eligibility for unemployment and retirement benefits. Artists also raised concerns that advancements in AI, if left unrestricted, may further impact their livelihoods. "The SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP deal will help address their concerns – improving the compensation structure on streaming platforms, pension and health benefits, and instating guardrails on the use of AI. "

TYSON FURY, 35, AND OLEKSANDR USYK, 36 announce they will fight for the undisputed heavyweight title which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 17, 2024. The fight will unify all of the major heavyweight boxing titles. At state: Usyk's WBA, IBF and IBO title and Fury's WBC belt.

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GRANTS OF €2.95M have been awarded to organizations promoting Irish culture and heritage in Britain and around the globe.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, announced the funding which will benefit 99 projects covering circus, dance, film, literature, music, theatre, visual arts and multidisciplinary projects taking place in over 30 countries.

Separately, €1,950,000 of the Culture Ireland funding will support annual Irish arts program to be delivered in 2024 by Literature Ireland, First Music Contact and Irish Film Institute International, as well as two of Ireland's key cultural centres: Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris and the Irish Arts Center in New York.

Projects Receiving Culture Ireland Funding Include:

Circus: Tumble Circus, Snatch Circus, and Grant Goldie are all presenting their work at the Western Australia Circus Festival, Karridale, Australia.

Dance: continuing support for a range of projects including Teac Da?sa’s MÁM at the National Theater Concert Hall, Taipei Taiwan, United Fall’s Birdboy by Emma Martin at the Moving Colors Festival, Athens, Greece, and Luke Murphy’s ‘Volcano’ at St Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, USA.

Film: support towards attendance by Irish filmmakers at significant international film festivals such as the Palm Springs International Film Festival in California, USA, Gijón International Film Festival, Spain, and the Irish Film Festival London, Britain.

Literature: Irish writers appearing at various international literary festivals, such as the Bologna Children's Book Fair, Italy, and the Paraty International Literary Festival, Brazil; Poetry reading and storytelling is also supported at the Pricigin Festival, Split, Croatia, the IRL Festival, Canada, Torch Literary Arts, Austin, USA, and at Gasson Hall, Boston, USA.

Music: Support towards over 40 international tours across the world covering a range of artists and genres including Caroline Keane & Tom Delany (Australia/ New Zealand), Lorraine Nash (Australia), Wallis Bird (Australia/ New Zealand), Clare Sands (Australia/ New Zealand), Junior Brother (Britain), Mick Flannery (Britain/Europe), Susan O'Neill (Britain/Europe), The Clockworks (Britain/Europe), John Blek (Europe), Just Mustard (Central America/ South America), Grainne Duffy (USA), Screaming Orphans (USA) Aoife Scott (USA), Martina Rosaria O'Connell (France), Deirdre McKay (South Africa).

Theatre: support for international tours, including the Gate Theatre (Australia), Branar (Britain), Dan Colley/Riverbank Arts Centre (Britain), Fishamble: The New Play Company (Britain), Brú Theatre (Canada), and Gare St Lazare Ireland (Europe).

Visual Arts: International exhibitions by Irish artists including Breda Lynch (Australia), Ailbhe Ní Bhriain (Benin), Maud Cotter (Britain), Damien Flood (Italy), Oonagh Hyland (Italy/Germany/Estonia), Alannah Robins (Sweden), Ciarán Murphy and Niamh O’Malley (USA), and towards Irish presence at international art fairs including Art Singapore 2024 (Singapore), The London Art Fair (Britain), INK Miami Art Fair (USA) and Portland Fine Print Fair (USA).



DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS Book and lyrics by Timothy Mason. Music by Mel Marvin.
Original production conceived and directed by Jack O’Brien.
Additional lyrics by Theodor S. Geisel.
Additional music by Albert Hague.
Original choreography by John DeLuca.
Directed by Globe Resident Artist James Vásquez.

Aa wonderful, whimsical musical based upon the classic Dr. Seuss book. Back for its 26th incredible year, the family favorite features the songs "Santa for a Day;" "You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," and "Welcome, Christmas (Fah Who Doraze)," the delightful carol from the popular animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

The cast for includes Andrew Polec as The Grinch, Tommy Martinez as Young Max, Steve Gunderson as Old Max, and, alternating in the role of Cindy-Lou Who, Arden Elise Johnson (Pink Team) and Iris Manter (Red Team), Noah Rivera as Papa Who, Ariella Kvashny as Mama Who, Larry Raben as Grandpa Who, and Bets Malone as Grandma Who; alternating in the role of Annie Who are Kennedy Harrington (Pink Team) and Kaia Wood (Red Team); alternating in the role of Betty-Lou Who are Nia Castro (Pink Team) and Amani Solorio (Red Team); alternating in the role of Boo Who are Faizi Mahalingam (Red Team) and Jayden Polliard (Pink Team); alternating in the role of Danny Who are Logan Hollis (Pink Team) and Kyle Tucker (Red Team); and alternating in the role of Teen Who are Jad Marrewa (Red Team) and Milla Toker (Pink Team).

The Grown-Up Who Ensemble includes Summer Broyhill, Berto Fernández, Jacob Haren, Patricia Jewel, Liliana Rodriguez, and Lance Arthur Smith.

The Little Who Ensemble includes Esme Cuaresma (Pink Team), Maisy Cuaresma (Pink Team), Gia Glenn (Red Team), Alina Mari Panganiban (Pink Team), Eli Pletner (Red Team), Melvin Matthew Pluciennik (Pink Team), Ella Washington (Red Team), and Juliet Weaver (Red Team).

The swings for The Grinch are Jacob Caltrider and Bethany Slomka. The child understudies for The Grinch are Ellis Quesada and Landon Tweet.

The creatives are: in addition to James Vásquez, this season’s production features additional choreography by Bob Richard and music direction by Elan McMahan. The creative team includes John Lee Beatty (Scenic Design), Robert Morgan (Costume Design), Pat Collins (Lighting Design), Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Design), Anita Ruth (Orchestrator), Joshua Rosenblum (Vocal Arrangements and Incidental Music), David Krane (Dance Music Arranger), Caparelliotis Casting and Kim Heil, CSA (Casting), and Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager).

Celebrate the holidays as the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, is once again transformed into the snow-covered Who-ville, right down to the last can of Who-hash. Performances through December 31, 2023, San Diego, CA.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL adapted and directed by Rob Melrose from the novella by Charles Dickens.

Celebrate the holidays with the Alley’s hit new adaptation with colorful Victorian costumes, special effects, lively dancing, stunning sets, and just the right blend of Christmas carols. It is a dazzling Christmas feast with the beloved story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his miraculous transformation.

Starring David Rainey as Ebenezer Scrooge, Dylan Godwin as Bob Cratchit. Chris Hutchison as Marley, Todd Waite as Mr. Fezziwig. Michelle Elaine as Mrs. Fezziwig. Melissa Pritchett as Mrs. Cratchit. Luis Quintero as The Ghost of Christmas Future. Elizabeth Bunch as The Ghost of Christmas Past, Shawn Hamilton as The Ghost of Christmas Present, Derrick J. Brent II as Young Adult Scrooge.

Featuring: Amanda Martinez, Brittany Halen, Raven Justine Troup, Brandon Hearnsberger, Adam Gibbs, Jeremy Gee, Alric Davis, John Ryan Del Bosque, Brock Hatton, Donna Bella Litton, Daniel Regojo, Orlando Arriaga, and Elissa Cuellar.

The creatives are: Michael Locher scenic design - Raquel Barreto costume design - Cat Tate Starmer lighting design - Cliff Caruthers sound design - Jim Steinmeyer illusion design - Afsaneh Aayani Peppet design - John L. cornelius II music director - Molly Wetzel dialect coach - Adam Noble fight director and intimacy coordinator - Rebecca E. D. Hamlin stage manager , Ryan Barret and Rachel Dooley Harris assistant stage managers.

On the Hubbard Theatre stage of the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. Performances through December 20, 2023.

TARTUFFE Moliére’s celebrated comic romp of hilarious wordplay and flirty antics.

Directed by Teresa K. Pond.

Tartuffe has conned his way into the home of Orgon pretending to be a holy man, as he cons the oblivious and wealthy patron who adores him, to marry his daughter, seduce his wife, and steal all his money.

Cast: Susan Reilly, Kevin Keith, Jessica Bauman, Jasper Davis, Lisa Vitale, Noah Hamre Jim Haacke, David Haynes, Jacqueline Rowe, Dick Reichman, and Chris Linn.

Performance through December 10, 2023 at Cyrano's Theatre in Anchorage, Alaksa.

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FINAL OVATION

GARY WINNICK The United States Holocaust Museum mourns the passing of Founder Gary Winnick. As a dedicated philanthropist and an early supporter of the Museum, Gary was committed to promoting the relevance of Holocaust history and its important lessons for future generations. The Museum sends heartfelt condolences to his wife, Karen, and their children and grandchildren.
Stuart E. Eizenstat, Council Chairman. Allan M. Holt, Council Vice Chairman. Sara J. Bloomfield, Museum Director.

JOSEPH BODNAR of Simi Valley, CA passed away October 7, 2023. He was 88.

Initially a magazine/newspaper photographer, including at UPI, Joe transitioned to electronics engineering, working on professional video cameras. He was on the Academy Award-winning engineering team at Cinema Products that helped develop the Steadicam. Later, while at Sony, he worked on The Tonight Show's conversion to high definition, the first nightly talk show to shoot in that format.

Preceded in death by wife Florence, he is survived by son Jay (Jaye), daughter Robin, grandchildren Elizabeth and Nathan, brother Frank (Sharon) of Ohio, niece Faith (Jason) Brewer, also of Ohio, their children Jordan, Karsyn, and Jason Jr, and his precious cats Nacho and Rooni.

ROBERT BUTLER Emmy award winning television director died November 3, 2023 in Los Angeles. He would have turned 96 on November 16, 2023. He became a trombone player and dance band leader while still a student at University High School, playing on Hoagy Carmichael's live variety show at NBC radio in 1945. He went on to study at UCLA, joined the Army Ground Forces Band at the end of World War II, and graduated from UCLA with a degree in English in 1951.

Butler started his illustrious career in film and TV as an usher at CBS in the early 1950s. He moved up to production clerk, stage manager, and then associate director, working closely with mentor directors John Frankenheimer, Franklin Schaffer, and Arthur Penn. While working at CBS Television City he met Adrienne Hepburn, a "script girl" working on Playhouse 90. The two married in 1957 and remained a devoted couple for 66 years.

Butler's first credit as director was in 1959 for Hennesey. Over the next forty years he directed many of the most popular television series, including The Dick Van Dyke Show; Bonanza; The Twilight Zone; Hogan's Heroes; I Spy; Batman; Star Trek; Gunsmoke; The Waltons; Hawaii Five-O; Kung Fu and Colombo.

Butler won Emmy Awards for The Blue Knight and Hill Street Blues, for which he is widely credited with changing the face of police procedural shows, innovating a hand held camera style that offered a grittier look to the dramatic narratives. He was also honored with Emmy nominations for Lois & Clark; Hill Street Blues and the pilot episodes of Sirens; Moonlighting and Remington Steele, which he co-created.

Butler also directed several feature films and movies for television, including Disney's The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969); The Barefoot Executive (1971); Scandalous John (1971); Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972); and other features Night of the Juggler (1980) and Turbulence (1997).

In 2001 the Director's Guild of America honored Butler with the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award in recognition of his decades of service. In 2015 the DGA awarded Butler with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in Television Direction.

He is survived by his wife Adri, his son and daughter, and his grandsons Rainer and Liam.

GEORGE "FUNKY" BROWN founding member of Kool & The Gang died at his home in Los Angeles from lung caner on November 17, 2023. He was 74.

He was one of the co-founders of the band as well as the drummer and a songwriter, co-writing some of their biggest hits including Celebration; Ladies’ Night and Jungle Boogie. He described himself as a “self-taught” musician.

The band won two Grammy awards and had 31 gold and platinum albums.

A.S. BYATT who wrote best-seller and Booker Prize winner Possession and had a beetle named after her, died Thursday, November 16, 2023 at her home in England. She was 87.

Byatt wrote two dozen books, starting with her first novel, The Shadow of the Sun, in 1964. Her work was translated into 38 languages.

Possession published in 1990, follows two young academics investigating the lives of a pair of imaginary Victorian poets. The novel, a double romance which skillfully layers a modern story with mock-Victorian letters and poems, was a huge bestseller and won the prestigious Booker Prize.

Possession was adapted into a 2002 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart. It was one of several Byatt books to get the film treatment. Morpho Eugenia, a gothic Victorian novella included in the 1992 book Angels and Insects, became a 1995 movie of the same title with Mark Rylance and Kristin Scott Thomas. Her short story The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye, which won the 1995 Aga Khan Prize for Fiction, inspired the 2022 fantasy film Three Thousand Years of Longing. Directed by Mad Max filmmaker George Miller, it starred Idris Elba as a genie who spins tales for an academic played by Tilda Swinton.

Her most recent book was Medusa’s Ankles, a volume of short stories published in 2021.

Queen Elizabeth II made Byatt a dame in 1999 for services to literature. In 2014, a species of iridescent beetle was named for her — Euhylaeogena byattae Hespenheide — in honor of her depiction of naturalists in Morpho Eugenia.

She married economist Ian Byatt in 1959 and they had a daughter and a son before divorcing. In 1972. Her 11-year-old son, Charles, was struck and killed by a car while walking home from school.

Byatt lived in London with her second husband, Peter Duffy, with whom she had two daughters.

Next Column: November 26, 2023
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Laura Deni

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